[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by Marie

We can look at the young man in GA who was tried as a sex offender for having consensual sex with a girl one year younger than him. We can look at the young lady in Texas who was almost sentenced to over 10 years in prison for shoving a teacher. Now let’s add to that six students tried for attempted murder of someone who didn't spend more than three hours in the hospital. I am certainly not saying that these kids don't deserve any punishment. However, I also don't agree with taking their lives and futures and tossing them down the drain.

The Jena case doesn't exist in a vacuum. These cases you mentioned are exactly why so many African Americans are up in arms. It's the CONSISTENT use of over punishment that is so frustrating. I'm definitely not celebrating these boys as martyrs or heroes... they broke the law. But this case just another link in a long chain.